Press Release: Attorney General Raúl Labrador Announces Opposition to the Lava Ridge Wind Project
By Press Release • April 21, 2023The following press release was sent out by the Office of Attorney General Raul Labrador. Press releases do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at the Idaho Dispatch.
Boise, ID – On Thursday, April 20th, Attorney General Raúl Labrador sent a comment on the Draft EIS for the Lava Ridge Wind Project to the Bureau of Land Management.
Congress mandated the Bureau of Land Management to “protect the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air and atmospheric, water resource, and archeological values.” The approval of this Project cannot be justified under the law. The agency’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) fails to account for the numerous harms the Project will cause. It represents a disregard for the environment and other vital interests entrusted to the agency’s safekeeping.
Furthermore, this Project is an assault on the sovereignty of the State of Idaho. “The federal government has once again acted on behalf of corporate interests instead of the people. The Lava Ridge Project will harm Idaho’s farmers, wildlife, and tribes. My office will work within the confines of the law to fight this project,” Attorney General Labrador said.
The Lava Ridge Wind Project is a proposed wind farm from Magic Valley Energy (MVE). The Project proposed would build 400 turbines across 75,000 acres of public land in Idaho. Once completed, Idaho would have the largest wind farm in the nation. If approved, Idahoans would bear numerous harms posed by the project so that MVE can sell the power generated to California. Even the draft proposal acknowledged the irreversible damage the Project would have on our state; such damage includes:
Harm to wildlife: The Project would permanently alter or destroy the seasonal habitat of mule deer and pronghorn, killing many of them in the process. In addition to deer and pronghorn, other vulnerable species will be impacted. The presence of hundreds of sweeping blades slicing through the air will pulverize bat and bird species – animals needed to keep crop-eating insects at bay.
Harm to hunters: The draft concludes that hunting opportunities will be “significantly diminished.” Shrinking hunting opportunities will have an impact on Idaho hunters and on tribal land and their reserved rights to hunt.
Harm to waterways: The draft acknowledges the Project will have long-term impacts on Idaho’s wetlands and surface waters. The wind farm will “remove or alter wetlands, change their function, change the rate and quantity of runoff, compact soils, and alter flow patterns.” Additionally, the Project could inadvertently pollute Idaho’s water through accidental spills of hazardous materials.
Harm to people: The Lava Ridge Wind Project will cause temporary housing, labor, and resource shortages. As federal money sweeps through the Magic Valley region, the risk of a boom-bust economic scenario is high.
Idahoans across the political spectrum oppose this Project. The Bureau of Land Management should listen to these dissenting voices instead of capitulating to the business interests of Magic Valley Energy.
The comment of the draft EIS for Lava Ridge Project can be found here.
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Tags: BLM, Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Attorney General, Lava Ridge, Magic Valley Energy, Raul Labrador
14 thoughts on “Press Release: Attorney General Raúl Labrador Announces Opposition to the Lava Ridge Wind Project”
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Raul Labrador began and continues to represent Idaho’s Citizens in an exemplary manner.
Raul is the Attorney General Idaho has needed for years.
Extending a “Thank You” Sir!
I concur wholeheartedly, Seven…well said.
Agreed, you said it all, ID7! AG Labrador is a true patriot.
thank you for seeing through the hype. voted for you, great job!
Thank you for common sense Mr. Labrador!!! We live in this remarkable state for a reason and sure isn’t for the Fed’s to come in and pollute our skyline at the least. This state isn’t for sale…it’s unique that’s why most of us are here…the preservation of our beauty and our values are most important!
Amen, well done Mr. Labrador, finally an AG with a backbone!
Thank You Mr. Labrador!
Not only are those “windmills” really an eyesore and wrong for the environment but they also are nothing more than a feel-good prop meant to signal, “hey, look at me! I’m doing something”!
Not to mention that in their entire serviceable period, they will never produce as much energy as it takes to build, install, maintain and then dispose of them.
God bless Raúl Labrador, an AG with spine and not beholden to a RINO clique. He is not only courageous but intelligent enough to know a Federal EIS is a pre determined permit to do what the Fedgov wants under the guise of “science”
Good job ! Idaho Strong once again.
Whoa, wait a minute guys…Although praise is important, don’t think for one minute you should just vote him in and praise him from a distance without engaging yourselves. Let me guess, we have been trained (like monkeys) to do more when they screw up than when they do something good, is that right? In reviewing the comments, I saw NOT ONE about doing more than praise him. I also didn’t see one comments to help Labrador understand how all of this stuff is connected. No comments about Agenda 2030 or The Great Reset or warning him to understand the bigger picture. Am I to believe this is why we are where we are in this country? May I suggest massive email and phone calls to his office not only to thank him but to connect the dots for him to understand the globalists plan not only by using wind farms but allowing corporatioons to run our country? Anyone? McFly?
Tom, with much respect and YUGE admiration for your passion and efforts …. You are ASSUMING those actions you speak of people doing, are NOT taking place, and unless you have personally talked to Raul and discussed said topics, you ASSUME he does not have knowledge of such ………
Much love for ya, brother
Most of the comments I Observe are Pro Raul Labrador our AG. We finally have AG that represents the peoples problems and issues. This is so important when dealing with Government Agencies now Idaho has People’s legal Representation. Thank you Mr. Labrador.
I strongly oppose the Lava Ridge Project and am glad that Mr. Labrador does too.
The significant adverse impacts/injustices to Japanese and Native American Tribes, as well as, the violations of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) should be more then enough to legally stop this destructive proposal in its tracks…